Tow handle for ski lifts and the like



Sept. 8, 1964 A. SAIKO ETAL TOW HANDLE FOR SKI LIFTS AND THE LIKE Filed April 3, 1963 plasfic coafing ATTOR/ViY United States Patent TOW HANDLE FOR SKI LIFTS AND THE LIKE Alphons Saiko, Kern, and Robert Spieldiener, Sitten,

Switzerland, assignors to Willy Buehler A.G.,

Bern, Switzerland Filed Apr. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 270,404 Claims priority, application Switzerland Apr. 6, 1962 12 Claims. (Cl. 104173) The present invention relates to tow handles for ski lifts and the like. More particularly, to the invention relates to improvements in so-called twin or tandem tow handles which are utilized for towing two persons at a time.

A conventional tow handle for ski lifts normally assumes the form of an inverted T-shaped body which provides two rigidly connected or integral grips adapted to be grasped by the skiers so as to take into tow two persons at a time. A serious drawback of such tow handles is that they compel both skiers to hold their handlegripping hands at the same level. Now, if one person is rather short and the other is taller, at least one will be compelled to assume a position which may cause discomfort, particularly when the ski lift is a long one. Thus, the taller person will be compelled to crouch and the shorter person will be compelled to hold the respective grip at a level which is too high for comfort so that the skiers will be unable to concentrate on skiing and might be compelled to release the handle. Furthermore, the terrain across which a ski lift extends is seldom free of protuberances or depressions so that it happens again and again that the skis of one person will travel at a level well above or well below the level of the skis of the other person. It is obvious that such unevenness of the ground causes additional discomfort and may lead to rapid tiredness, to serious falls and/or to collisions between the skiers.

Accordingly, it is an important object of our invention to provide an improved tandem tow handle for ski lifts and the like which is constructed and assembled in such a way that each of the two persons grasping the same may assume a position which is best suited for comfort and safety.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tandem tow handle of the just outlined characteristics which is of extremely simple construction, which may be used in connection with any type of conventional ski lifts, and which is also useful in other types of sports, such as water skiing, horse skijoring or motor skijoring.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a tandem tow handle which may be grasped in more than one way and which may be utilized not only by professional and advanced skiers or other sportsmen but also by beginners.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide a tow handle of the above outlined characteristics which is of lightweight construction, which is designed with a view to avoid injury to the persons being towed, and which may be manufactured in many different sizes, colors or shapes so as to suit the wishes of advanced and/ or less skilled sportsmen.

With the above objects in view, one feature of our invention resides in the provision of a tow handle for ski lifts and the like which comprises a pair of similar and preferably inverted L-shaped towing members of plasticcoated tubular metallic stock or the like, and wherein each towing member comprises a substantially horizontal handgrip section and an elongated towing section one end portion of which is rigid with the respective handgrip section, and pivot means connecting the other end portions of the towing sections so as to provide a horizontal pivot axis about which the towing members may be swung with respect to and independently of each other. Thus, a shorter person grasping one of the handgrip sections might wish to keep this handgrip section at a level below the level of the other handgrip section which might be grasped by a taller person. Also, when the skiers are being towed on uneven terrain, the two towing members may pivot with respect to each other so that they remain at the same distance from the ground but at the same time change their positions with respect to each other. As a rule, the towing members are mirror symmetrical to each other with reference to a vertical plane which is perpendicular to the pivot axis.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved tow handle itself, however, both as to its construction and the method of assembling and using the same, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of a specific embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: 1

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a tandem tow handle which embodies our invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the tow handle.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, there is shown a tandem tow handle which is designed to be used in connection with ski lifts but which is equally useful in motor skijoring, in horse skijoring and/or in water skiing. This handle comprises a pair of similar substantally L-shaped towing members A, B each of which includes an elongated handgrip section or arm 1 and an elongated towing section or arm 2. It will be noted that the lower end portions 2a of these towing sections are of arcuate shape and are rigidly (normally integral) with the handgrip sections so as to form arcuate transitions between the towing sections and the respective handgrip sections. The handgrip sections 1 are substantially horizontal and extend in opposite directions. The upper end portions 2b of the towing sections comprise abutting plate-like bearing elements 3 whose upper portions 3a are formed with registering openings and are spaced apart so as to provide room for a sheave or pulley 6. This sheave is supported by a horizontal pivot member or shaft 4 which assumes the form of a bolt extending through the openings of the upper plate portions 3a and mating with a nut 5. The axis of the bolt is substantially parallel with the handgrip sections 1 and is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extensions of the towing sections 2. A tow cable or tow rope 7 which is trained around the sheave 6 forms part of a ski lift whose construction forms no part of our invention.

The median portion 2c of the towing sections are spaced apart, i.e., their spacing exceeds the distance between the lower end portions 2a, so that such median portions may be grasped by hand without any danger that the hands grasping them would be injured if the towing member A is caused to pivot with respect to the towing member B or vice versa.

The towing members preferably consist of tubular metallic stock, such as steel, and are coated with a suitable plastic substance to prevent corrosion and to avoid discomfort on very cold days.

The manner in which the tow handle is put to use will be readily understood. When the handle is not in use, the towing members assume positions which are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, namely, the towing sections 2 are substantially vertical. When a short person grasps the handgrip section of the member A and when a tall person grasps the handgrip section 1 of the member B, the latter handgrip section will be held at a level above the handgrip section of the member A. Also, if the person holding the handgrip section of the member A happens to be towed over a knoll, he will automatically pivot the member A so that the handgrip section will be moved to a higher level. A pivotal movement of the member A in the opposite direction will take place if the person holding its handgrip section happens to descend into a small depression.

It will be noted that we provide a very simple but exceptionally practical tow handle which affords full comfort to each of two persons who are being towed by the same without being influenced by unevenness of terrain, by the height of the persons and/or by the posture of such persons. In other words, each person may select a position which he or she feels is the best position for skiing or gliding over a given terrain and/or at a given speed.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A tow handle for ski lifts and the like, comprising a pair of similar towing members each including a handgrip section and an elongated towing section, each towing section having a first end portion rigid with the respective handgrip section and a second end portion; and pivot means connecting the second end portions of said towing sections so that said towing members are pivotable with respect to each other about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extensions of said towing sections.

2. A tow handle for ski lifts and the like, comprising a pair of similar towing members each including a handgrip section and an elongated towing section, each towing section having a first end portion rigid with the respective handgrip section, a median portion, and a second end portion, the distance between said median portions exceeding the distance between said first end portions; and pivot means connecting the second end portions of said towing sections so that said towing members are pivotable with respect to each other about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extensions of said towing sections.

3. A tow handle for ski lifts and the like, comprising a pair of mirror symmetrical substantially L-shaped towing members each including a handgrip section and an elongated towing section, each towing section having a first end portion rigid with the respective handgrip section and a second end portion, said towing sections being adjacent to each other and said handgrip sections extending in opposite directions; and pivot means connecting the second end portions of said towing sections so that said towing members are piovtable with respect to each other about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extensions of said towing sections.

4. A tandem tow handle for ski lifts and the like, comprising a pair of similar towing members each including a handgrip section and an elongated towing section, said towing sections having first end portions rigid with the respective handgrip sections, closely adjacent second end portions, and median portions whose spacing exceeds the distance between said first end portions; and pivot means connecting said second end portions so that said towing members are free to pivot with respect to each other about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extensions of said towing sections.

5. A tow handle for ski lifts and the like, comprising a pair of similar towing members each including a handgrip section and an elongated towing section, each towing section having a first end portion rigid with the respective handgrip section and a second end portion, each of said second end portions comprising a substantially plate-like bearing element and said bearing elements being adjacent to each other; and pivot means comprising a shaft extending transversely through said bearing elements so as to provide for said towing members a pivot axis which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extensions of said towing sections.

6. A tow handle as set forth in claim 5, wherein said bearing elements comprise spaced apart portions provided with registering openings for said shaft, and further comprising a sheave mounted on said shaft intermediate said spaced apart portions of the bearing elements.

7. A tow handle for ski lifts and the like, comprising a pair of similar towing members of plastic-coated tubular metallic stock, each of said towing members including a handgrip section and an elongated towing section, each towing section having a first end portion rigid with the respective handgrip section and a second end portion; and pivot means connecting the second end portions of said towing sections so that said towing members are ivotable with respect to each other about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extensions of said towing sections.

8. A tandem tow handle for ski lifts and the like, comprising a pair of mirror symmetrical L-shaped towing members each comprising an elongated handgrip section of round stock and an elongated towing section of similar stock, said towing sections having first end portions rigid with the respective handgrip sections and second end portions, each towing section being substantially perpendicular to the respective handgrip section and said handgrip sections extending in opposite directions; and pivot means connecting said second end portions so as to provide for said towing members a pivot axis which is substantially parallel with said handgrip sections.

9. A tow handle as set forth in claim 8, wherein said first end portions form arcuate transitions between said towing sections and the respective handgrip sections.

10. A tow handle as set forth in claim 8, further comprising sheave means mounted on said pivot means.

11. A tow handle for ski lifts and the like, comprising a pair of similar towing members each adapted to tow a person and each including a handgrip section and an elongated towing section, each towing section having a first end portion rigid with the respective handgrip section and a second end portion; and pivot means connecting the second end portions of said towing sections so that said towing members are pivotable with respect to each other about a horizontal axis which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extensions of said towing sections so that the persons grasping said handgrip sections may pivot the respective towing members independently of each other.

12. A tow handle as set forth in claim 11, wherein said handgrip sections are substantially parallel with said axis and extend in opposite directions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,054,360 Igaya Sept. 18, 1962 

1. A TOW HANDLE FOR SKI LIFTS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING A PAIR OF SIMILAR TOWING MEMBERS EACH INCLUDING A HANDGRIP SECTION AND AN ELONGATED TOWING SECTION, EACH TOWING SECTION HAVING A FIRST END PORTION RIGID WITH THE RESPECTIVE HANDGRIP SECTION AND A SECOND END PORTION; AND PIVOT MEANS CONNECTING THE SECOND END PORTIONS OF SAID TOWING SECTIONS SO THAT SAID TOWING MEMBERS ARE PIVOTABLE WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER ABOUT AN AXIS WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE LONGITUDINAL EXTENSIONS OF SAID TOWING SECTIONS 